Device for filling writing, drawing, printing, or painting utensils

ABSTRACT

A device for filling a writing utensil with a writing liquid has a container having an interior for receiving the writing liquid and a container opening for refilling the interior with the writing liquid. A receiving member is inserted into the container opening so as to provide a tight seal between the receiving member and the container opening. An air inlet connection connects the interior to the atmosphere. A capillary conveying connection, including a first and a second end, is provided for conveying the liquid from the interior to a writing utensil, wherein said first end opens into the receiving member for contacting a writing tip of a writing utensil to be inserted into the receiving member. A seal, connected to the receiving member, seals the writing utensil inserted into the receiving member toward the atmosphere.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for filling of writing, drawing,printing, or painting utensils (writing utensils) which are providedwith a writing, drawing, printing, or painting tip (writing tip) withwriting, drawing, printing, or painting liquid (writing liquid),comprising a container for receiving the writing liquid, the interior ofwhich is connected to the atmosphere, as well as having a capillaryliquid conveying connection through which the transport of the writingliquid from the interior of the container to the writing utensil or to awriting liquid reservoir of a writing utensil is carried out, wherein adevice for receiving the writing utensil or the writing liquid reservoiris received in a sealing manner within the container opening, whereinone side of the capillary liquid conveying connection opens into thedevice and contacts the writing tip of the writing utensil or an inletopening for writing liquid of the writing liquid reservoir.

A device of such kind is known (WO 92/20531). Writing, drawing,printing, and painting utensils and/or writing liquid reservoirs of suchutensils, in the following referred to as writing utensils, are knownand used in a plurality of embodiments. With writing utensils of thiskind the writing liquid in most cases is stored in a capillary reservoirbelonging to the writing utensil that, however, for so-called disposablewriting utensils is not designed to be refilled with writing liquid,even though this refilling is in principle possible for most of suchdisposable writing utensils.

With the known device it is now possible to simply insert, respectively,position writing utensils to be refilled or a writing liquid reservoirinto the device and, subsequently, to allow the refilling process forwriting utensils with a capillary reservoir to take place completelyautomatically or as well to allow writing utensils that are providedwith a conventional piston mechanism to cover the opening of the liquidconveying connection so that, by displacing the piston of the writingutensil, the writing liquid can be sucked from the container; thisapplies as well to writing liquid reservoirs designed as a cartridgewhich can then be inserted as a cartridge into writing utensils.

The known device has proven to be very well suited and has found greatacceptance with the consumers.

It has been found that, for example, problems occur occasionally withwriting utensils like the above described piston fountain-pen or theones with the above described piston cartridges on refilling with theknown device, namely of the kind that the reservoir of the pistonfountain-pen, respectively, of the piston cartridge, could not be filledup sufficiently in all cases.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to develop a deviceof the known kind to the effect that with this device also a refillingof piston fountain-pens, piston cartridges, and other writing utensilsof the like is possible, wherein the refilling process has to be carriedout such that the writing liquid reservoir of the piston fountain-pen,respectively, of the piston cartridge or the like can be refilledcompletely, without causing other writing utensils to be refilled of thekind mentioned in the introductory part to suffer with respect to theirrefillability with writing liquid. Finally, the manufacturing process ofthe device should be simple and cost-efficient, whereby disposablewriting utensils which are, in general, not designed for refilling canbe refilled with the device, with which the writing utensil, or areasthereof, are not soiled during refilling with the writing liquid andwhich is leak-proof even when the device is positioned with its openingpointing downward.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object is solved according to the present invention by providing asealing means that is arranged within the receiving member and thatseals the end of the writing utensil or of the writing liquid reservoirinserted into the receiving member toward the atmosphere.

The device for filling a writing utensil with a writing liquid accordingto the present invention is primarily characterized by:

a container having an interior for receiving the writing liquid and acontainer opening for refilling the interior with the writing liquid;

a receiving member inserted into the container opening so as to providea tight seal between the receiving member and the container opening;

an air inlet connection connecting the interior to the atmosphere;

a capillary conveying connection, comprising a first and a second end,for conveying the liquid from the interior to a writing utensil, whereinthe first end opens into the receiving member for contacting a writingtip of a writing utensil to be inserted into the receiving member;

a sealing means, connected to the receiving member, for sealing awriting utensil inserted into the receiving member toward theatmosphere.

Preferably, the sealing means is embodied such that it rest elasticallyon the writing utensil inserted into the receiving member.

The sealing means is preferably a ring member extending along the innerperiphery of the receiving member.

Expediently, the sealing means has in cross-section a lip-shaped profileor, in the alternative, has a circular cross-section (O-ring).

The sealing means is advantageously arranged such in the receivingmember that the writing utensil, when inserted into the receivingmember, rests with a leading end face on the sealing means.

Preferably, the receiving member comprises an integral projection andthe writing utensil has a writing tip that is provided with a recess.The projection sealingly engages the recess, when the writing utensil isinserted into the receiving member.

The device preferably further comprises a snap closure for pressing thewriting utensil against the sealing means.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the device furthercomprises a screw cap closure for pressing the writing utensil againstthe sealing means.

The receiving member comprises a circular groove in which the sealingmeans is received.

The sealing means is arranged at an end of the receiving member proximalto the interior of the container.

At least the first end of the capillary conveying connection is elasticfor allowing at least a partial penetration of the writing tip of thewriting utensil.

The receiving member comprises a closure means for being sealinglyreceived in the container opening.

The sealing means seals off the first end of the capillary conveyingconnection against the atmosphere when the writing utensil is removedfrom the receiving member.

The sealing means comprises a disc made of elastically deformablematerial. The disc has in a central area at least one incision forallowing penetration thereof by the writing utensil.

The air inlet connection opens to the atmosphere exterior of the sealingmeans.

The advantage of the inventive device lies essentially in the fact thatthe writing utensil now is inserted into the receiving member through asealing means which ensures that a vacuum for the suction process of apiston fountain-pen, respectively, of the piston of a piston cartridgecan be created. Thus, it is ensured in any case that the suction,respectively, refilling process can be carried out properly andcompletely, i.e. that the reservoir of the piston fountain-pen, of thepiston cartridge etc. can actually be refilled completely. A furtheressential advantage of the inventive device lies in the fact that byproviding the sealing means within the receiving member the refilling ofother writing, drawing, printing, or painting utensils that are providedwith capillary reservoirs for the writing liquid, is, generally, neitherhindered nor restricted, i.e. that these writing utensils when beingused in connection with the inventive device are refilled automaticallyas it is described in detail in the aforementioned prior art. For thesewriting utensils the inventive device does not only provide thepossibility that these writing utensils can be refilled automaticallywith the device according to the invention, but the sealing means withinthe receiving member can also be useful with these writing utensils thatcan be refilled by capillary action, namely in so far as during therefilling process a drying out of the writing liquid at the location ofcontact between the writing tip and the capillary conveying connectionis prevented.

With an advantageous embodiment of the invention the sealing means isdesigned such that it rests snuggly and elastically against the writingutensil or the writing liquid reservoir. On the one hand, the sealingaction thus is sufficiently great so that a sufficient vacuum can becreated for the refilling process; on the other hand, it must beprovided that the writing utensil can be inserted into the receivingmember and removed therefrom with an appropriately adjusted force suchthat the writing tip can elastically rest at the contact location of thecapillary conveying connection.

In principle, the sealing means can advantageously be designed as a ringmember that is circularly arranged within the receiving member andthereby be provided with any appropriate cross-section.

However, in order to satisfy fully the aforementioned requirements forelastically receiving the writing utensil, on the one hand, and anelastic resting of the writing tip against the capillary conveyingconnection, on the other hand, the sealing means is advantageously inits cross-section embodied as a lip-shaped profile, whereby such aprofile allows an easy inserting of the writing utensil and, on theother hand, still guarantees a good sealing action toward theatmosphere.

For many purposes, in particular if only a certain kind of writingutensils is to be refilled by the device, i.e, no writing utensil ofdiffering constructions have to be received in an equally well sealingmanner, it is advantageous to provide the sealing means in itscross-section with a circular profile (O-ring).

Preferably, the sealing means is arranged within the receiving membersuch that the writing utensil or the writing liquid reservoir, wheninserted, rest within the receiving member with their end face againstthe sealing means. Often, there is still writing liquid contained insidethe writing utensil which is pressed into the container when the pistonof the writing utensil is twisted forward and thereby could reach thearea of the sealing means, disadvantageously resulting in the writingutensil, after refilling, having writing liquid remainders at itshousing with which the user disadvantageously comes into contact withhis fingers. This embodiment of the device prevents such a soiling withwriting liquid.

With a further advantageous embodiment of the device a projection isprovided as an integral part of the receiving member wherein theprojection engages detachably sealingly a recess which is designed roundthe writing tip of the writing utensil.

It is also advantageously possible that the writing utensil or thewriting liquid reservoir is pressed against the sealing means by a snapclosure or a screw cap. Such a design of the writing utensil or thewriting liquid reservoir in connection with the device has the advantagethat, on the one hand, the writing utensil is not wetted in the fingercontacting area with writing liquid, and, on the other hand, writingutensils with different front portions can be used as long as the threadmatches. The same result could also be achieved by a snap closure at thewriting utensil in connection with the device.

Essentially, the sealing means that is arranged within the receivingmember can be attached to the receiving member in any appropriate way.However, it has proven to be advantageous to insert the sealing meansinto a circular groove formed within the receiving member so that noseparate connection is required; the sealing means can be simplyreplaced if necessary in case of fatigue of the sealing means by takingthe fatigued sealing means out of the groove and replacing it with a newone.

In principle, the sealing medium can be arranged at any desired locationwithin the interior of the receiving member, even as a function of theconstructive design of the writing utensil that is to be filled by thedevice. The embodiment that is the most appropriate for many cases isadvantageously designed such that the sealing means is arranged at theend of the receiving member facing the container.

Particularly, if the writing utensil to be refilled by the device is aconventional piston fountain-pen with a conventional writing tip, it isadvantageous to design at least the respective end of the liquidconveying connection which faces the receiving member elastically suchthat the possibility is given that the writing tip can at least partlybe inserted elastically into the liquid conveying connection. Thematerial that forms the liquid conveying connection has to be embodiedelastically at least at this portion.

In order to ensure finally that the container does not leak, it isadvantageous that the receiving member provides means for sealinglyreceiving within the opening of the container. The member for sealinglyreceiving can, for example, be a snap closure or a screw thread betweenthe container and the receiving member.

The sealing means can be designed such that it at least substantiallyseals the capillary liquid conveying connection toward the atmosphere,when the device for receiving a writing utensil is empty. Thus, a dryingout of the writing liquid is prevented.

Advantageously, the sealing medium in the latter embodiment is designedas a disc made of an elastic, flexible material that provides in itscentral area at least one incision through which the writing utensil,respectively a writing liquid reservoir can be inserted.

Preferably the interior of the container is connected to the atmospherevia a connection that ends outward of the sealing medium. Thisconnection is at least required in those cases in which air that onrefilling of the utensil is displaced by the refilled liquid is notintroduced into the interior of the container. Otherwise a vacuum wouldbe created within the interior of the container and hinder the transportof liquid through the liquid conveying connection. Such a connectiontoward the atmosphere is particularly expedient when a pistonfountain-pen is to be filled.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is now described with the aid of severalembodiments and by referring to the following schematical drawings. Itis illustrated in:

FIG. 1 a sectional side view of a device with a writing utensil insertedinto the receiving member of the device, in the shape of a conventionalpiston fountain-pen

FIG. 2 an illustration according to FIG. 1, but with a writing utensilthat has a fiber tip and a capillary reservoir tubular writing utensil,

FIG. 3 an illustration like FIG. 1, however, with a piston cartridgethat serves as a refillable writing fluid reservoir for writingutensils,

FIG. 4 an illustration like FIG. 1, in which, however, the writingutensil that is to be filled rests, with its end that is facing awayfrom its writing tip, at the location of contact with the capillaryconveying connection,

FIG. 5 a cross-section of a device for illustrating a preferredembodiment of the lower end of the capillary conveying connection,

FIG. 6 an embodiment of the receiving member with a circular ring slotthat faces the interior of the container,

FIG. 7 an embodiment of the receiving member with a writing utensilaccording to FIG. 1, whereby, however, the sealing means contacts thewriting utensil with its end face,

FIG. 8 an embodiment of the receiving member with a writing utensilaccording to FIG. 1, in which the sealing means is provided with aprojection that is formed integrally with the receiving member, and witha recess, whereby the projection engages the recess that is formed roundthe writing tip of the writing utensil,

FIGS. 9a, 9b, and 9c are different views of an embodiment of thereceiving member with a sealing means which normally seals the receivingmember toward the liquid conveying connection and comes into a sealingcontact with an object that is to be refilled when it is inserted.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The device 10 is comprised substantially of a container which in theembodiments illustrated in the drawings is essentially bottle-shaped. Itshould be noted, however, that the container 14, in principle, may haveany desired, appropriate shape with any desired, appropriatecross-section. The device 10 further comprises a receiving member 17which, in the embodiment illustrated in the drawings, has asubstantially cylindrical design with a substantially circularcross-section and can be inserted air- and liquid-tightly into acontainer refill opening 30 that is provided at the upper end of thecontainer 14.

The receiving member 17 can be provided with a closure means 32 forbeing received in a sealing manner within the container opening, i.e.,so as to provide a tight seal between the receiving member and thecontainer opening. These closure means can be designed, for example, asa snap closure or as threaded elements (screw cap closure) formed at thecontainer 14 as well as at the receiving member 17.

The container axis 21 and the axis of the receiving member 28, in theillustrated embodiment of the device 10, are axially aligned with eachother which, however, is not required in all cases.

A substantially cylindrically shaped capillary conveying connection 16is arranged axially relative to the receiving member 17 and extends fromthere into the interior 15 of the container. The capillary conveyingconnection may be formed as a tubular capillary or may be made out ofany appropriate porous material, for example, materials that are usedfor tips and reservoirs of conventional writing utensils 11. The upperend 160 of the capillary liquid conveying connection 16 can project intothe interior 172 of the receiving member 17 up to a certain extent,compare FIG. 4. The other end 161 of the capillary liquid conveyingconnection 16 extends into the interior 15 of the container to the areaof the container bottom 25.

Within the receiving member 17 an air inlet connection 18 is providedwhich has an opening 180 at the inner surface of the container and anopening 180 toward the atmosphere 19. The hollow interior 177 which thusprovides two openings 180 is filled with a capillary means 22.

Within the receiving member 17 a sealing means 31 is arranged at the end176 of the receiving member 17 facing the container With the sealingmeans, the end of the writing utensil 11 or of the writing liquidreservoir to be inserted into the receiving member 17 can be sealedtoward the atmosphere 19. The sealing means is embodied such that it canelastically rest on the lower end 110 of the writing utensil 11 or ofthe writing liquid reservoir. The sealing means 31 is received in acircular groove 175 that is formed within the receiving member 17. Thesealing means 31 can, for example, be designed as a ring member with alip-shaped profile in cross-section, or with a circular profile incross-section, i.e., in the shape of an O-ring. Basically, however, anyappropriate cross-sectional shape of the sealing medium 31 is possible.

In the embodiments of the device 10 that are illustrated in FIGS. 7 and8 the sealing means 31 is arranged at the end of the hollow interior 177of the receiving member 17, facing the container. The writing utensil11, therefore, rests on the sealing means 31 with its end face when itis inserted. Particularly, in the embodiment of the device 10 that isillustrated in FIG. 8 a projection 178 is provided that is formed on thereceiving member 17 and which projects, respectively, extends into thehollow interior 177 of the receiving member 17. At the end face 179 ofthe projection 178 the sealing means 31 can be provided. The writingutensil 11 has a recess 120 formed round the writing tip 12 with whichthe projection 178 with the sealing means 31 comes into contact in theinserted state, resting in a sealing manner on the end face of therecess of the writing utensil 11. The recess 120, however, can also bedimensioned such that the projection 178 and the recess 120 form afitting so that this fitting is the actual sealing means 31 withoutneeding a separate ring made of elastic material or the like.

It can be stated that in general tube-shaped, correspondingly fittedconnections (recess 120, projection 178) have the advantage that theycan be realized without separate sealing materials.

When filling the device 10 itself, the receiving member 17 is firstremoved from the container refill opening 30 which it closeshermetically, and the container 14 is filled with writing liquid 13. Forreceiving so as to seal toward the atmosphere 19 the receiving member 17within the container, the receiving member 17 has means for sealinglyreceiving. This means 32 for sealingly receiving can consist, forexample, of a thread that is formed at the receiving member 17 and thatengages a thread that is formed correspondingly in the containeropening. However, the means 32 can, for example, also consist in a snapclosure, as is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4.

The capillary conveying connection 16 which is immersed in the interior15 of the container, respectively, in the writing liquid 13 almostcontacts with its lower end 161 the container bottom 25. Due to thecapillarity of the capillary liquid conveying connection 16 the writingliquid is transported to the upper end 160 of the capillary liquidconveying connection 16.

For filling a writing utensil, the utensil is inserted into thereceiving opening 27 of the receiving member 17, against the lowresistance that the sealing medium 31 exerts on the writing utensil 11as soon as the writing utensil 11 contacts the sealing medium 31. Thereacting force that the elastic sealing medium 31 exerts can be overcomeby a slightly increased pressure such that the writing utensil 11 withits writing tip 12 contacts the upper end 160 of the capillary liquidconveying connection, or, alternatively, if the writing utensil 11 isformed as a conventional piston fountain-pen with a writing tip, atleast partly penetrates the upper end 160 of the liquid conveyingconnection 16 which here is formed at least partly elastically. Thewriting liquid 13 thus flows, conveyed via the capillary liquidconveying connection 16, through the writing tip 12 into the reservoircontained in the writing utensil when the filling piston of the pistonfountain-pen is moved in a manner that is known per se. The sealingmeans 31 ensures that the vacuum which is required for this process canbuild up in the space between the sealing means 31 and the capillaryliquid conveying connection 16.

With writing utensils 11 that have a capillary reservoir the writingliquid 13 overcomes without problems the transition of the highcapillarity of the writing tip 12 of the writing utensil 11 to berefilled into the lower capillarity of the capillary reservoir of thewriting utensil because, independent of capillary discontinuities, thewriting liquid 13 rises as high as the capillary rise allows.

When the writing utensil 11 after a certain time has been filledautomatically with writing liquid 13, it can be easily removed from thereceiving member 17, namely by a slightly increased force in theremoving direction for overcoming the force that is exerted on thewriting utensil 11 by the sealing means 31. The writing utensil 11 mayalso, in principle, always remain there, for example, with the deviceacting as an appropriate stand.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate that instead of filling a writing utensil viathe writing tip 12 there is also the option to fill the writing liquidreservoir of the writing utensil 11 directly, compare FIG. 3, if it isformed either detachably as a piston cartridge or the like, or if, forexample, a place of attachment for refilling the reservoir is providedat the back side of the writing utensil 11, compare FIG. 4.

The position of the container 14 which is illustrated in FIG. 1 showsthe upright position of the device 10 placed on a surface that is notillustrated here. In the embodiments of the device 10, which areillustrated in the Figures, the liquid conveying connection 16 isprovided with a mantle 24. Writing liquid 13 adhering to the outside ofthe mantle 24 cannot leak from the liquid conveying connection 16 viaits end 160, even when the container is tilted about 180° from theposition illustrated in FIG. 1 to the position illustrated in FIG. 5.The embodiment of the device 10 that is illustrated in FIG. 5 in whichthe lower end 161 of the liquid conveying connection, respectively, themantle 24 is formed conically, provides the possibility that remaindersof writing liquid 13, that often remain between the liquid conveyingconnection 16 and the container bottom 25 when the container 14 istilted, flow into the interior of the container; in the case of anon-conical shape, these remainders would slowly permeate the liquidconveying connection 16, and writing liquid 13 would leak out of thedevice 10.

The embodiment of the device 10, illustrated in FIG. 6, even providesincreased safety against writing liquid 13 penetrating the member 16unintentionally. However, if writing liquid 13 were located below theair inlet connection 18 but still above the liquid conveying connection16, the writing liquid 13 would simply penetrate the liquid conveyingconnection in the case of a horizontal position of the device 10. Inorder to prevent this, a ring slot 33 that acts as an air inlet opening180 is provided which seals the air inlet opening 180 when the writingliquid 13 fills the space of the ring slot 33 due to its capillarity.Basically, the same effect can be achieved by means of a single openingwhich is connected to an annular capillary rest.

FIG. 9 illustrates a further embodiment of the inventive device 10 inpart sectional views. In this embodiment the sealing means is designedas a disc 31 made of an elastic, flexible material, for example, anelastomer, and is mounted in the receiving member 17 above the capillaryconveying connection

According to FIG. 9c) illustrating a plan view, the disc 31 is providedwith two crossed incisions 35 at its center. It is understood that alsoonly a single incision 35 or several incisions 35 can be provided.

If the receiving device is empty, according to FIG. 9b), the disc 31 isplanar and closed so that the upper free end face, according to FIG. 9,of the liquid conveying connection 16 is sealed off toward the outeratmosphere by the disc 31 and thus is protected against drying of thewriting liquid.

On inserting a writing utensil 11 into the receiving member 17 accordingto FIG. 9a), the writing tip of a felt-tip pen, in the illustratedexample, penetrates the disc 31, whereby its incisions 35 open and comeinto a sealing abutment at the tip, respectively, in the illustratedexample, at a recess at which the writing tip has a transition into thebody of the felt-tip pen.

The present invention is, of course, in no way restricted to thespecific disclosure of the specification and drawings, but alsoencompasses any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:
 1. A device for filling a writing utensil with awriting liquid, said device comprising:a container having an interiorfor receiving the writing liquid and a container opening for refillingsaid interior with the writing liquid; a receiving member inserted intosaid container opening so as to provide a tight seal between saidreceiving member and said container opening; an air inlet connectionconnecting said interior to the atmosphere; a capillary conveyingconnection, comprising a first and a second end, for conveying theliquid from said interior to a writing utensil, wherein said first endopens into said receiving member for contacting a writing tip of awriting utensil to be inserted into said receiving member; a sealingmeans, connected to said receiving member, for sealing an end of awriting utensil inserted into said receiving member toward theatmosphere.
 2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said sealing meansis embodied such that it rest elastically on the writing utensilinserted into said receiving member.
 3. A device according to claim 1,wherein said sealing means is a ring member extending along the innerperiphery of said receiving member.
 4. A device according to claim 3,wherein said sealing means has in cross-section a lip-shaped profile. 5.A device according to claim 3, wherein said sealing means has a circularcross-section.
 6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said sealingmeans is arranged such in said receiving member that a writing utensil,when inserted into said receiving member, rests with a leading end faceon said sealing means.
 7. A device according to claim 6, wherein:saidreceiving member comprises an integral projection that sealingly engagesa recess at a writing tip of a writing utensil, when inserted into saidreceiving chamber.
 8. A device according to claim 1, further comprisinga snap closure for pressing the writing utensil against said sealingmeans.
 9. A device according to claim 1, further comprising a screw capclosure for pressing the writing utensil against said sealing means. 10.A device according to claim 1, wherein said receiving member comprises acircular groove in which said sealing means is received.
 11. A deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein said sealing means is arranged at an endof said receiving member proximal to said interior of said container.12. A device according to claim 1, wherein at least said first end ofsaid capillary conveying connection is elastic for allowing at least apartial penetration of the writing tip of the writing utensil.
 13. Adevice according to claim 1, wherein said receiving member comprises aclosure means for being sealingly received in said container opening.14. A device according to claim 1, wherein said sealing means seals offsaid first end of said capillary conveying connection against theatmosphere when the writing utensil is removed from said receivingmember.
 15. A device according to claim 14, wherein said sealing meanscomprises a disc made of elastically deformable material, said dischaving in a central area at least one incision for allowing penetrationthereof by the writing utensil.
 16. A device according to claim 1,wherein said air inlet connection opens to the atmosphere exterior ofsaid sealing means.